ABC of French Food

by Len Deighton

Defines French cooking terms from abricot to vol-au-vent and includes information on French wines, cooking styles, foods, chefs, and traditions

Genres: Cookbooks

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Deighton was born in Marylebone, London, in 1929. His father was a chauffeur and mechanic, and his mother was a part-time cook. After leaving school, Deighton worked as a railway clerk before performing his National Service, which he spent as a photographer for the Royal Air Force's Special Investigation Branch. After discharge from the RAF, he studied at St Martin's School of Art in London in 1949, and in 1952 won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1955.

Deighton worked as an airline steward with BOAC. Before he began his writing career he worked as an illustrator in New York and, in 1960, as an art director in a London advertising agency. He is credited with creating the first British cover for Jack Kerouac's On the Road. He has since used his drawing skills to illustrate a number of his own military history books.

Following the success of his first novels, Deighton became The Observer's cookery writer and produced illustrated cookbooks. In September 1967 he wrote an article in the Sunday Times Magazine about Operation Snowdrop - an SAS attack on Benghazi during World War II. The following year David Stirling would be awarded substantial damages in libel from the article.

He also wrote travel guides and became travel editor of Playboy, before becoming a film producer. After producing a film adaption of his 1968 novel Only When I Larf, Deighton and photographer Brian Duffy bought the film rights to Joan Littlewood and Theatre Workshop's stage musical Oh, What a Lovely War! He had his name removed from the credits of the film, however, which was a move that he later described as "stupid and infantile." That was his last involvement with the cinema.

Deighton left England in 1969. He briefly resided in Blackrock, County Louth in Ireland. He has not returned to England apart from some personal visits and very few media appearances, his last one since 1985 being a 2006 interview which formed part of a "Len Deighton Night" on BBC Four. He and his wife Ysabele divide their time between homes in Portugal and Guernsey.

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deighton has probably known more famous chefs and eaten at more famous restaurants than many restaurant critics. Always one to take notes and make sketches he has compiled these and much more to give an extremely good overview of French food, techniques, recipes, anecdotes, etc. Whilst there are classic works on many forms of cooking, Deighton seems to have a way of encapsulating the core elements in an easily assimilated form. I would recommend any and all his cookbooks as a grounding for any aspiring cook/chef

[Min · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dear me. I try to do diligent research before buying books. Somehow I missed the fact that this is an alphabetical listing that describes foods and cooking terms in French cooking. Silly me, I thought I would get some RECIPES. Into the donate bin.

[Jim Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't cook. I'm not a gourmet. But this is probably my favorite re-read. I usually return to it at least once a year.

It delights me because of Mr. Deighton's very obvious love for the subject. His glossary here shows out a serious passion for food, specifically French food. The entries are charming and often personal, and the whole book is an always-anticipated read.

Definitely a 5-star book!